No easy summer for swallows in Bavaria - Bavaria's Swallows Face Crisis: Habitat Loss, Food Scarcity, Extreme Weather
Swallows are struggling in Bavaria this summer, facing severe habitat loss, food scarcity, and extreme weather conditions. The Landesbund für Vogelschutz (LBV) is actively addressing these concerns in 2024.
Last year's cold and rainy spell in Ingolstadt alone caused the local swallow population to shrink by a third. This year's fluctuating weather has further hindered their recovery, with significantly fewer second broods. Last fall's cold snap in early September 2024 led to thousands of deaths, causing a significant population decline. Stables, usually good nesting sites, are often excluded from modern buildings. House martins, which depart for Africa earlier than barn swallows, were particularly hard hit.
Humans can help swallows by mitigating issues like bird droppings, providing artificial nests, and building clay sources. The sealing of surfaces, which reduces clay and plant availability, is a major problem as it leads to fewer insects for them to eat.
Swallows, beneficial for controlling mosquitoes, are facing a challenging time in Bavaria. The LBV is working to address these issues, but humans can also help by creating suitable habitats and showing tolerance towards these birds.
